Did you spend $75 for a chance to become one of Ontario’s Cannabis Retailers?
If you are one of the 25 lucky winners of the Cannabis Store Lottery be prepared within five (5) business days of the announcement to:
- Submit a Retail Operator Licence Application including a non-refundable $6,000 fee payment. Retailing guide can be found here.
- Provide a $50,000 Letter of Credit in the form provided.
- Get your store opened by April 1, 2019. EXPECT FINES IF YOU DON’T
The maximum 25 Retail Store Authorizations will be provided in the following Regions:
- East Region: five (5) stores
- North Region: two (2) stores
- Toronto Region: five (5) stores
- West Region: seven (7) stores
- GTA Region: six (6) stores
You may want to reference the Cannabis Licence Act to prepare your Cannabis Retailing journey. Find that here!
The AGCO will announce results of the lottery, to be held on January 11, 2019
Has your community opted in or out yet?
Many communities are hosting public discussions to support the decision making process. Once you have decided to opt in you CANNOT opt out. This has created quite the dialogue within administration at various communities as they wrestle with the decision making process. This is a great discussion for our CannaFam and I am sure that many of our readers have opinions!
We compiled some pros and cons to drive the conversation forward.
PROS
- ECONOMICS – 40% of Ontario residents were are all in for recreational cannabis. The market is huge (over 8 billion a year potentially) and with only 25 stores, the first to market communities will be leaders in grabbing an early chunk of that market and tax dollars. Communities can expect to realize more foot traffic as consumers come in to shop from communities that opted out. This new traffic will likely purchase from other local businesses as they visit your town; perhaps fill up the car with fuel or grab lunch?
- SERVICE – Constituents in the municipality will benefit from local access in their own community. Think how great this is for seniors who don’t want to drive too far to get some CBD for their aches and pains.
- CRIME – This will likely reduce black market activity in the opted-in community as the black market activity moves to communities that opted out. Further more dispensaries are required to have their own security plans which often include high tech cameras and guards typically creating an even safer community environment.
- OPIOIDS – Retail cannabis access is associated with reduced opioid consumption by the general public
CONS
- UNDESIRABLES – Will the Cannabis shop bring all kinds of rift raft into the community? A study by BDS analytics, a cannabis industry market trend and research group conducted a survey, titled “Public Attitudes and Actions Toward Cannabis in California and found that despite the lazy-stoner-stereotype, 53 percent of consumers work full-time jobs and have an average annual income of nearly $70,000.
- TEENS – Teenager will use more cannabis if we permit a store in our community. Findings in Colorado do not support this by the way!
- DRIVING HIGH – 14 % of Cannabis users in a recent Canadian survey reported they drove high within 2 hours of consumption. This is happening in communities without dispensaries and Colorado says that awareness and creating a ‘culture of responsibility’ at the beginning is key.
28 Communities are OUT officially
Here is the list of communities that have decided they are opting OUT as of January 9th, 2019. Curious about who is in or undecided? Visit AGCO site and search away!
| Township of Blandford-Blenheim |
| Municipality of Bluewater |
| Township of Centre Wellington |
| Township of Clearview |
| Township of Dorion |
| Township of East Zorra-Tavistock |
| Town of Erin |
| Township of Frontenac Islands |
| Township of Georgian Bluffs |
| Town of Ingersoll |
| Township of King |
| Township of Lake of the Woods |
| City of Markham |
| Township of McKellar |
| Township of Melancthon |
| City of Mississauga |
| Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake |
| Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula |
| Township of Papineau-Cameron |
| Municipality of Powassan |
| Town of Richmond Hill |
| Township of Sables-Spanish Rivers |
| Township of Southgate |
| Township of St. Clair |
| Township of Tay |
| Town of Tecumseh |
| Town of Wasaga Beach |
| Township of West Lincoln |
Municipalities have until January 22, 2019 to inform the AGCO if they wish to opt out.
Good luck to all the participants.